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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. present — the time now
  4. current — of water
  5. rock — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. hand — in cards
  8. squash — to crush
  9. current — electric
  10. stem — to come from
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. hand — help
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. present — there
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. current — happening now
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. present — a gift
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — a stone
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com